2/22/2011

White Bread

I make almost all my own bread. I make bagels, foccacia, challah, country loaf, pita bread, kaiser rolls...the list goes on. But this is the one that I probably make the most-- the classic white sandwich bread. It is a soft and light textured bread that is just perfect for toast, croutons, and of course, sandwiches.

I love the whole art of making bread--the science involved engages the left brain, the creativity brings the right brain into the mix--o.k., I also make it because it makes my house smell really good! Any way I look at it, I know that making my own bread is a beautiful and rewarding experience. With the rising price of commodities and food, it is a cost-effective reason as well. A loaf of bread made at home costs a fraction of a bakery or store bought loaf, especially if you buy the ingredients in bulk.

If you have never made your own loaf, do not be intimidated. Like anything new, it just takes a little practice. I have even taught a 5th grade class how to make this bread and they loved it. Especially the part where I ran home, baked it, and brought it back to school for everyone to have a slice of warm, freshly baked bread with a slathering of butter:) The only real trick is to get the moisture level right. In the winter, the air is cold and dry, so a little more water might be needed and it might take the dough a little bit longer to rise. In the summer, the air is warm and humid, so a little more flour might be needed. I can usually tell that my dough has the right ratio of water and flour when the dough is just sticking to the bottom of the mixing bowl and the sides are clean. The most important thing to remember is to not add too much flour. Doing so will result in a dry and dense loaf. The addition of butter, sugar, and potato flour really give the bread a wonderful flavor with out being overly sweet and rich. It slices beautifully and tastes delicious.

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. You can also make this by hand or in a bread machine. Adjust the dough's consistency with additional flour or water as needed but remember, the more flour you add, the heavier and drier your loaf will be. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape into a ball. Lightly spray the inside of a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl and loosely cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place in a draft free space to rise for 1 hour.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Gently deflate the dough and shape into an 8 inch log. Spray the inside of an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cover the loaf (I like to use a large cake dome) and let the bread rise until the outer edge has risen about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Uncover the pan and bake the bread for 35-40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil for the final 10-15 minutes if it appears to be browning too quickly. Remove from the oven. Remove the bread from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

This is truly my favorite sandwich bread recipe. For a yeast bread, it is relatively quick to make, too. I start it in my bread machine and take the dough out after the first rise, shape it and bake it. Besides eating it, my favorite part is watching it "spring" in the oven. It is a never fail recipe. M-m-m! That reminds me...I'm out of bread!